Rotary disk bit



July 7, 1936. w. A. ABEGG IROTA-RY DISK BIT Filed May 12, 1934 INVEN TOR. MLTEK A. fiesqq BY V ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1936 PATENT OFFIE ROTARY DISK BIT Walter A. Abegg, Los Angeles, Calif assignor of one-half to Baldwin Reinhold, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application May 12, 1934, Serial No. 725,372

' 10 Claims. (01. 255-71) This invention relates to well drilling apparatus,

and particularly pertains to a rotary disk'bit.

In the operation of well drilling equipment, particularly such equipment as is used in the 5 drilling of oil Wells, it is necessary that the cutting members shall be particularly adapted to act upon the formation being penetrated and that these members, together with the means by which they are supported shall be durable, and of rugged 10 character, permitting them to be readily assembled, and to maintain in complete functioning arrangement under extreme working conditions. It is also desirable to provide a disk bit structure which may be readily and inexpensively manufacl5 tured, and which is so designed as to lend itself to a rapidand convenient interchange in replacement of parts, and to an assembly which will insure that the entire bit structure will be of rigid character, while utilizing a minimum amount of 20 material, and will not be subjected to weakening strain.

It .is a further object of the present invention to provide a water course arrangement, making it possible to readily control the water course, and

25 to interchange the water course outlets in the event that they should become abraded or other- .wise mutilated in the course of operation of the drill bit.

The present invention contemplates provision 3 of a drill disk through whichwater courses are formed, which courses terminate in communication with a water course insert, said bit terminating at its lower end in a pair of spaced legs, each of which independently supports a cutter 35 disk bit and cutter disks as desired, the pins of said legs being preferably opposite laterally with relation to each other. i The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

. 40 Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the bit with which the present invention is concerned.

Fig. 2 is a View in elevation showing the bit. as viewed at right angles to Fig. 1 and with parts of one leg broken away to more clearly show the 45 bit construction.

lock faces formed on the inner lock nut.

Referring more particularly-to the drawing, I0 indicates the pin of the drill bit II. This pin is of the usual tapered and threaded construction adapted to be threaded into the lower end of a connection carried by a drill string. The body 5 portion of the drill bit as indicated at [2 is cylindrical in cross section and terminatesfat its lower end in a substantially square sectional part [3. This portion is bifurcated to form a pair of disk supporting legs M and I5, having a space l6 10 between them. These legs each carry a pin l'l, although as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawing, these pins are opposite and equidistant from the longitudinal center line of the bit, while their longitudinal axes are parallel and lie in the same horil5 zontal plane, which is transversely disposed with relation to the longitudinal axis of the bit. As here shown, the inner and outer faces of the legs are parallel, each leg being formed with an opening l8 to receive the corresponding diskpin ll. The outer face of each leg is formed with a counterbore H) to receive the cylindrical end of a bushing 20. The end of the bushing, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, is formed with a transverse key slot 2|. The slot 2| extends transversely of the end of the bushing 20, making it possible for the bushing to be reversed when it becomes worn on one side as it tends to do during operation. This slot meshes with a key 22 which is preferably inserted through slots formed radially through the legs l4 and I5 and extending downwardly from the opening provided for the pins [1. This key will therefore engage the portions of the keyway below the pins IT. The outer end of the bushing 20 is enlarged as indicated at 23 and fits within an enlarged counterbore 24 of a cutting disk 25. A center opening through the bushing receives the pin H, the outer end of the pin being formed with an enlarged hexagonal head 26 by which the bushing is held in position. The inner end of each of the pins I1 is provided with a combined bushing and lock nut 2! which, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, has a cylindrical extension formed with diametrically flat sides 28 adapted to fit between legs 29 of an inside washer 30 which is welded into a recess in the inner face of each of the legs l4 and I5.

By this arrangement the inner threaded end of the pin I! may be screwed into the bushing 21, and at the same time it will be insured that the lock bushing will be held against rotation, even though disposed in a place somewhat inaccessible for the use .of a wrench or other holding tool.

Ah enlarged flange 3! of the lock bushing'Z'l seats within a counterbore of a core cutting disk 32, a pair of which disks are held for independent rotation in the space between the legs l4 and I5. In order to insure that the lock bushing 21 will be held in a locked position, the ends of the pins I! are formed as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, with a plurality of cotter pin openings 33, any one of which may receive a cotter pin 34.

The opposite sides of the hub portion of the lock bushing 21 are cut away, as indicated at 35, to form hub segments 50 and 5|. These segments are rounded at their inner edges as indicated at 52 to afford additional accommodation for the cotter pins 33 which are used to lock the lock bushing 21 into position, it being understood that the cut away portions of the hub as indicated at 35 are provided to accommodate the cotter pins. It is also desirable as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, to recess the ends of the pins I"! as'shown at 53 so that the cotter pinholes will not meet in a series of closely convergent angles. 3

In the operation of tools of this construction it is desirable to prevent any portion of the cone being formed from packing against the parts in an objectionable manner and the end disks of the lock bushing 21 are therefore formed with a; pair of cutting teeth 54. These cutting teeth are offset from a transverse center linewhich intersects the axis of rotation'otthe disks, and the teeth extend substantially parallel to this center line at opposite sides thereof. These teeth as hereshown are of the heighth of the hub on the lock bushing 21, and extend outwardly to the edge of the flange thereof, being slightly'hooked in the direction of rotation of the bit. The

I amount of offset is equal to the amount of offset of the axis of the pin ll on which the lock bushing is mounted from the central rotating axis of the drill bit. This insures that the" lowermost of these teeth will be disposed in substantially the same plane as that of therotating axis of the bit and will cut away any amount of core which might be otherwise formed therebeneath.

his practice in drill bit constructions to incorporate water courses for the circulating mud through the drillbit to the disks,-and since these are placed within the body of the'drill bit it makes it necessary to provide a bit of relatively large dimension. In the present-instance, means have been provided to simplify the embodiment of water courses in the drill bit construction without making it necessary to weaken the parts or proportionately increase the dimensions of the parts. This is accomplished'by providing one central water course, as indicated at 36, which extends downwardlythroughthe pinand the divergent water course passageways 40 and 4| are formed through the insert 38-toeasubstantially diametrically opposite side from theopening 39.

Due to'the length of the insert 38'the lowerdischarge ends of the diverging water courses and 4| occur at pointsshown at sides of the drill bit and are so designed as to-project a stream of mud laden fluid downwardly and outwardly,

one stream for each pair of bits 25 and 3|.

' the legs.

to form the outer surface of.

a correspondingly tapered hole of the tool bit body II. In some instances it may be desirable to provide additional locking means for the in.- sert and thismay be a pair of cap screws 42 and 43 screwed into the body of the bit II at diametrically opposite sides of the insert and rest-' ing-upon shoulders of the insert formed by scollops 44.

In operation of this drill bit the cutters 25 and 32 are mounted upon the legs M and l5 of It will be seen that as the I the bit by the pins ll. pins are tightened they will draw the bushings inwardly so that the keys and keyways Hand 22 of the legs and on the ends of the bushings'respectively, will be placed in interlocking position e and will hold the bushings against rotation. This will not make itnecessary to haveslotted key- I ways in the bushing which might weaken it. The inner bushing nut 3! will be held against rota tion by the member 30, and when the pins are tightened a cotter pin 34 may be passed through an opening in the end of the pin to. hold the structure against release.

It will be understood that the spaci g ofjthe bushings will make it possible for the'cutter disks 25 and 32 to freely rotate upon them as may be brought about by rotation of the enti're drill bit structure upon its vertical axis.

It will thus be seen that the drill bit strueture here shown provides offset mountings 'forcutter I disks Without the necessity of specially machined eccentric parts, and that furthermore, the drilling operation may be carried on: whilethe cutter disks are-firmly secured upontheir mountings in a manner to insure against weakness of the parts, or weakness in the constructionj of the bit body itself. It will also be seen that in the operation of the bit, the tapered watercourse insert may be "so designed as to properly deliver a stream of circulating fluid to the bitswithout' necessitatingthe introduction of delivery means between the two legs of the bit body and without weakening the bit body by water courses through sert becomes'mutilated or otherwise damaged, to be rendered unsatisfactory foruse, it is possible to quickly remove the insert and install another one, since it is desirable that the insert 1 that the entirebit structure will be; rugged and will not besubjected to undue strain incident to its operation. v

In the event that the water course initself shall be madeof hardened steel and may] be easily handled, as well as designed to with While I have shown the preferred form of myinvention, as now known ,to me, it will be understood that various changes may be made in combination, construction, and arrangement of parts without departing fromithe spirit of my invention as claimed.

Having thusvdescribedrmyinvention, what I 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. A rotary drill-bit for, drilling wells comprising aibodyjcarrying cutter means at the lower end thereof,,a watercourse extending longitudinally of said 'body, a transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill and intersecting the water course at its lower end, and a tapered straight insert pin positioned within said transverse opening, said insert being formed with passageways communicating with the water course and directing fluid therefrom to the cutting tools.

2. A rotary drill bit for drilling wells comprising a body carrying cutter means at the lower end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally of said body, a transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill and intersecting the water course at its lower end, and a tapered straight insert pin positioned within said transverse opening, said insert being formed with passageways communicating with the water course and directing fluid therefrom to the cutting tools, and means for detachably securing said insert in position.

3. A rotary drill bit for drilling wells comprising a body carrying cutter means at the lower end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally of said body, a transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill and intersecting the water course at its lower end, and a tapered straight insert pin positioned within said transverse opening, said insert being formed with passageways communicating with the water course and directing fluid therefrom to the cutting tools, said transverse passageway and insert being tapered to form a tight fit therebetween tending to hold the insert in position.

4. A rotary drill bit for drilling wells comprising a body carrying cutter means at the lower end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally of said body, a transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill and intersecting the water course at its lower end, and a tapered straight insert pin positioned within said transverse opening, said insert being formed with passageways communicating with the water course and directing fluid therefrom to the cutting tools, said insert being of hardened non-abrasive metal.

' 5. A rotary bit for drilling oil wells, which bit comprises a body carrying cutters at the lower end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally within the body of the drill and terminating in a tapered transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill and intersecting the said longitudinally extending water course, and a removable tapered insert positioned within said passageway to fill the same, said insert being formed with an internal passageway, one end of which communicates with the longitudinal passageway of the drill bit body and the other end of which discharges fluid from said longitudinal passageway into the cutting area at a point exterior of said drill bit body.

6. A rotary bit for drilling oil wells, which bit comprises a body carrying cutters at the lower end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally within the body of the drill and terminating in a transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill, and a tapered removable insert positioned within said passageway and intersecting said longitudinally extending water course, said insert being formed with an internal passageway, one end of which communicates with the longitudinal passageway of the drill bit body and the other end of which discharges fluid from said longitudinal passageway into the cutting area at a point exterior of said drill bit body.

7. A rotary bit for drilling oil wells, which bit comprises a body carrying cutters at the lower end thereof, a water course extending 1ongitudinally within the body of the drill and terminating in a transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill, a tapered removable insert positioned within said passageway and intersecting the said longitudinally extending water course, said insert being formed with an internal passageway, one end of which communicates with the longitudinal passageway of the drill bit body and the other end of which discharges fluid from said longitudinal passageway into the cutting area at a point exterior of said drill bit body, said passageway and insert being tapered with relation to each other whereby the insert may be forced tightly into the passageway.

8. A rotary bit for drilling oil wells, which bit comprises a body carrying cutters at the lower end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally within the body of the drill and terminating in a transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill, a tapered removable insert positioned within said passageway and to intersect the said longitudinally extending water course, said insert being formed with an internal passageway, one end of which communicates with the longitudinal passageway of the drill bit body and the other end of which discharges fluid from said longitudinal passageway into the cutting area at a point exterior of said drill bit body, said passageway and insert being tapered with relation to each other whereby the insert may be forced tightly into the passageway, and means at the large end of said tapered insert for holding the insert in its seated position.

9. A rotary drill bit for drilling wells, comprising a body carrying cutter means at the end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally of said body, a transverse passageway intersecting the water course at its lower end and extending entirely through the body of the drill, a tapered water course insert pin positioned within and completely filling said transverse opening, said tapered water course insert pin being formed with passageways communicating with the water course and directing fluid therefrom to the cutting tools.

10. A rotary bit for drilling oil wells which bit comprises a body carrying cutters at the lower end thereof, a water course extending longitudinally within the body of the drill, a tapered transverse passageway extending entirely through the body of the drill and intersecting the longitudinally extending water course at its lower end, a tapered straight insert pin positioned within the transverse passageway, said tapered insert pin being formed with passageways communicating with the water course and directing fluid therefrom to the cutting tools.

WALTER A. ABEGG. 

